by Jenni Horn

A quick-thinking neighbour stopped a fire from getting out of control when a blaze broke out in a Rochester garden.

Firefighters were called to Rochester Avenue when a shed caught alight just before 7pm last night (Tuesday).

When the crews arrived, a man who lived next door had been able to stop the flames from spreading to another shed by spraying the fire with his garden hose.

Ian Simpson, watch manager for Strood fire station, said: "If it wasn’t for the actions of that man then the fire would have most definitely spread. The shed itself was completely destroyed. "

Firefighters believe the fire may have been caused by a cigarette which had been thrown away in the alleyway behind the garden.

Mr Simpson added: "We would like to remind people to discard their smoking materials responsibly.

"We would also like to remind people to think about fire engine access when they are parking their cars. We had difficulty accessing the road because of cars parked on corners."